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Thursday, November 28, 2013

New Film Highlights Hydropower Dams and Food Security Concerns in Cambodia

A woman fishes on Tonle Sap at sunset near Akal village. Photograph by Kristin Harrison and Jeremy Ginsberg.

Scientists and conservation experts are urging the government
of Cambodia to put a moratorium on the development of hydropower dams,
and now Conservation International has released a new short film, Hydropower Impacts andAlternatives, thattakes a closer look at the issues surrounding the dam construction in the 3-S basin within the Greater Mekong River System.

There is a clear need for more power generation in Cambodia—according
to Bunra Seng, Director of Conservation International’s Greater Mekong
program in Cambodia, most people still lack reliable access to
electricity and less than 10 percent of Cambodia’s total installed
capacity has been developed. But scientists and conservation experts are
urging the government to address the issue by developing sustainable,
science-based solutions to the energy problems first. (Related: “Moratorium Needed on Mekong River Dams.”)

The 15-minute film explores the role of the Sekong, Srepok, and Sesan
(3-S) Rivers as the most critical tributaries feeding into the Lower
Mekong River, as well as how hydropower development will affect the
ecosystem and the people living in the region. The greatest concern
shown in the film is the affect of the dams on Cambodia’s food security.

Akal
village, in the middle of Tonle Sap, site of the CI-sponsored Fish
Sanctuary and Biodiversity Protection Project (FSBPP). Photograph by
Kristin Harrison and Jeremy Ginsberg.

“This film clearly and visually articulates the critical importance
of this river system for its energy provision potential, as well as the
fish migration, sediment and water flows that nourish critical
ecosystems and feed Cambodia’s people,” said Dr. Tracy Farrell of
Conservation International’s Greater Mekong program.

Recent studies
have predicted that the dams will eliminate a significant portion of
fish migration into the Tonle Sap Lake, one of the most productive
inland fisheries on the planet, and block 90 percent of sediment flows
needed to deliver nutrients to the lake and maintain fertile soils for
agriculture. As a result, this could impact the health, livelihood, and
food security of tens of thousands of villagers and millions of people
further downstream that depend on the freshwater system. (Related: “Photos: Dams Threaten Mekong River Megafishes.”)

But the film does more than just highlight the problems with the
dams; it also suggests potential revisions to minimize damage to the
ecosystem including alternate placements of the dams and the design of
sediment release mechanisms. Watch the full film below to learn more.

1 comment:

Anonymous
said...

Thank you for concerning about the lives of Vietnamese fishermen(in pictures) in Cambodia. Just as long you guys don't intend to float us down the rivers, we're happy to continue to work hard to catch all the fishes.